ALBANY (January 20, 2009)—"Today is an historic and truly proud day for our country. The swearing in of Barack Obama as our 44th President is a tremendous step forward for our nation and it is hard not to get caught up in the excitement of this day. With every new administration comes new opportunities, but the nation has come together in an especially remarkable way to stand behind this president. As a state and as a nation, we all can be proud and hopeful for our future."

Hundreds of William Floyd High School students take part in festivitiesMastic Beach, NY – As millions of citizens and hundreds of elected officials from around the country gathered in Washington D.C to celebrate the historic inauguration of President Barack Obama, Sen. Brian X. Foley joined students at the William Floyd School District as they took part in the festivities. Sen.

New York State Senator Reverend Ruben Diaz (D-Bronx) addressed the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale’s congregation as the Key Speaker on Monday, January 19, 2009 during their annual tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. His message of hope was openly received by the people of Riverdale.

From January 17th-19th, 2009, the New York City Coalition Against Hunger (NYCCAH) sponsored its 6th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Anti-Hunger “Serve-a-Thon” event, a three-day event featuring volunteer opportunities at food pantries and soup kitchens throughout New York City.